Animated picture bearing device



May 29, 1934. v. SMITH 1,960,397

ANIMATED PICTURE BEARING DEVICE Filed March 18, 1931 P 5 O 74/6 I (DI/I O Q "Q 0 k ,6

O L O '2" p a O p H 517 //v vslv TOR PEA 14770)? are.

Patented May 29, 1934 ANIMATED PICTURE BEAREN G DEVICE Valentine Smith, Virginia Water, England Application March 18,

In Great Britain 4 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved and cheap method of preparing a series of pictures arranged in succession on a strip so that they can be fed successively through a gate or 5 other suitable part of an apparatus through which the pictures can be viewed or if required through a projection apparatus. As is well known the usual practice with such apparatus is to employ cinematograph film stock but the cost of this is prohibitive for use with cheap animated picture viewing toys and apparatus, and also with some projection apparatus of a simple and cheap nature it is not always necessary to employ film stock, for example when projecting shadow pictures in which only black moving objects are employed.

One object of my invention is to provide a picture bearing strip which can be used in place of an ordinary cinematograph film suited for these requirements. Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method of producing picture bearing strips in which the pictures can be printed on paper and readily mounted on a strip specially prepared for use in an animated picture device, whereby if desired the pictures can be printed on a thin paper which will not have to take the strain and wear of the sprockets for feeding them through a gate, the strip bearing the pictures being of a strong and cheap material.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into eiiect I have appended hereto a sheet of drawing illustrating embodiments thereof and wherein:--

Fig. i is a face view of part of a perforated strip showing how pictures can be mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing a method of reinforcing the longitudinal edges of the picture bearing strip, the pictures being shown separated about to be affixed to the perforated strip.

Fig. 3 shows how such a strip can be strengthened at its longitudinal edges.

In the drawing the strip 1 is preferably composed of brown paper of a fairly stout nature coated on one side with a gum which is normally dry, out in long narrow strips the Width of a standard cinematograph film or other desired width. The strip is made as long as possible and is joined to one or more strips by overlapping their ends and gumming them together. The sprocket perforations 7 can be formed simultaneously with the cutting of the strips by passing the paper through rotary cutters fittedwithradial projections adapted to punch holes in the paper 1931, Serial No. 523,514 December 17, 1930 parallel with the edges along which the paper is trimmed.

If required the cutting members may also be formed with or combined with a simultaneously rotating printing roller formed with lines parallel to its axis and equidistantly spaced so as to produce on each strip a succession of parallel transverse lines 5 denoting picture spaces so that pictures 2 can be adhered in correctly spaced succession on to the said strip. Some or all of these lines 5 can be continued beyond the longitudinal edges of the pictures as at 5a to provide location marks for the correct location of the perforations.

Longitudinal lines 6 to denote the lateral boundaries or ends of the pictures can be printed simultaneously with the transverse lines. tively or in addition each strip can be doubled Alternaalong both of its longitudinal edges as shown in Fig. 2 so that the edges 1b of the folded over parts id of the strip 1 are folded against the same side of the strip and directed towards each other, these edges meeting the said longitudinal lines 6 or taking the place of the longitudinal lines so that the space between the edges 1?) can receive the picture bearing pieces of paper bearing a succession of pictures. The

picture bearing strip of paper 2, or a single strip or strips 2 can be dimensioned so that their longitudinal edges abut against the inwardly folded edges 12) of the perforated strip of paper. This double fold 1a of each longitudinal edge of the strip will give it greater strength and render the perforations less liable to tear by the dragging action of the sprocket teeth.

When it is required to apply a layer of pictures to both sides of a perforated strip, the longitudinal edges of the strip can be folded one against the perforated strip.

The adhesive substance can be applied to the strips before or after the trimming action during the travel of the paper so that the paper passes in contact with an a dhesive applying roller or pad, the adhesive substance preferably being of such a nature that it dries quickly but will be rendered sticky by slight moistening.

The strips can be cut from wide sheets of paper by passing the sheets through a line of coaxial rotary cutters.

For example, a number of drums can be arranged on two parallel shafts geared for rotation in unison and formed with annular knives, the edges of which overlap each other and their faces being almost or actually in contact. Radial punches produce the sprocket holes, the lower drums being hollow and provided with holes which receive the punches, the several bits of paper falling into the hollow drums. The upper drums can be formed with equidistantly spaced raised ribs which can print the transverse lines. Also if desired a pair of circumferential ribs around the upper drums can produce the longitudinal lines. The severed and ruled strips can be drawn through a pair of rollers which apply the adhesive agent to the strips, the lower roller rotating in a trough charged with the liquid adhesive agent, which is of such a nature that it will dry quickly, and/or the paper strips can be fed into a drying chamber.

It is understood that the strips prepared according to my invention can be preserved ready to receive a succession of a number of pictures individually applied. For example the small pictures can be included in cigarette packets and gradually assembled in a proper predetermined sequence on a strip and when a complete set of pictures are mounted, part or whole of a hand animated picture viewing apparatus can be given away by themanufacturers of the cigarettes.

I claim:--

1. An animated picture bearing device comprising a strip of stout paper with both its longitudinal edges folded over against one face of the strip to provide laminated marginal parts, sprocket perforations in said marginal parts and a strip of picture bearing paper applied to said *face of the said stout strip so that the picture bearing strip lies between and its edges abut against the folded over edges of the said strip of stout paper.

2. An animated picture bearing device comprising a strip of stout paper with its longitudinal edges folded over inwards against opposite faces of the strip so as to provide laminated marginal parts, sprocket perforations in said marginal parts, and two extra strips of paper one of which bears pictures adhered to both said faces with their edges arranged so that one edge of each said extra strip abuts against one folded over edge of the said stout strip and the other aligns with the line of folding appropriate to the other folded over edge.

3. In an animated picture bearing strip, a one piece narrow foundation strip of paper, two longitudinal folded over portions along opposite sides of said strip of paper forming integral double laminated marginal parts, apertures in said parts for sprocket teeth, the longitudinal free edges of said one piece foundation strip of paper being directed towards each other and overlapping the strip of paper between its said longitudinal folds, and picture bearing strips adhered to said foundation strip, the picture bearing strips engaging the inner edges of the said marginal parts and being in the planes of the said marginal parts so not to overlap the edges of the marginal parts they engage.

4. In an animated picture bearing strip, a one piece narrowfoundation strip of paper, two longitudinal folded over portions along opposite sides of said strip of paper forming integral double laminated marginal parts, apertures in said parts for sprocket teeth, the longitudinal free edges of said one piece foundation strip of paper being directed towards the longitudinal medial part of the strip and overlapping the strip of paper between its said longitudinal folds, and a picture bearing strip adhered to said foundation strip, the inner edge of one of the said marginal parts being engagedby an edge of the picture bearing strip, the picture bearing strip being in the same plane as the marginal part engaged thereby to avoid overlap of the picture bearing strip and 1115 said marginal part.

VALENTINE SMITH. 

